By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THERE’S tension at Ase-Omuku community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, following the beheading of its monarch, Chief Okwudili Obi and killing of others including four soldiers by gunmen who allegedly invaded the community.
The yet-to-be-identified gunmen reportedly invaded the sleepy community night of Wednesday January 8, 2023, went straight to the house of the deceased, shot him dead and decapitated him.
Victims
Not done, the gunmen reportedly killed one other young man, while a stray bullet hit a young boy of 13 years dead while his mother escaped with injuries and now recuperating in the hospital.
The military authority in the state could not confirm the casualty, unconfirmed reports however had it that four officers were allegedly killed when their patrol vehicle was ambushed by the hoodlums.
A local source said the hoodlums attacked the officers, killing three of them on the spot while another officer died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba following a serious injury.
“The hoodlums ambushed the army personnel and killed three officers, others were rushed to Federal Medical Center, Asaba,” the source noted.
It was gathered that the killing of the monarch followed a dispute over a derivation-sharing formula from an oil company situated in their environment.
Natives of the community are said to be fleeing the community for fear of reprisals as sources said military personnel have taken over the community to flush out the hoodlums.
Meanwhile, a youth leader and younger brother of beheaded Chief Enebeli, Mr. Victor Enebeli, briefed journalists in Ase-Umoku on Friday, condemning the ugly incident and calling for justice.
Narrating how the attacks went, younger Enebeli said “at 11:00 hours on Wednesday, 08/02/2023, the gunmen went to the house of one of our leaders at Umutu because he was their prime target.
Victims
“But when they could not get him because he was not at home, at about 3:00a.m, some dissident community members led the gunmen into the community and started shooting.
“They shot for almost one hour, killing a community Chief, Okwudili Obi and cutting off his head.
“They also killed one other young man, stray bullet hit a young boy of 13 years with the mother, killing the boy, the mother is in the hospital.”
Enebeli, however, commended the military men and soldiers at Sterling Energy Exploration and Production Company (SEEPCO) who chased the gunmen out of the community.
He further claimed that “as the gunmen were running out of the community, they shot a policeman dead at Ashaka and also shot two soldiers and an Army Major in Kwale.
“The Major has been confirmed dead. Fortunately, the gunmen’s vehicle developed a fault at Ashaka and they abandoned it there.
“Three other injured persons, whom the gunmen shot thinking they were dead, are in the hospital.
“The gunmen actually went to the hospital, Breman Hospital by the Kwale roundabout to kill the injured people who were receiving treatment there, so as to remove all witnesses, unknown to them there was an army check-point there, and they shot the Major and another soldier.”
Mr Enebeli, who condemned the incident, described the killing as barbaric and inhuman, noting that irrespective of differences among indigenes of Ase Umoku community, it should not lead to killing themselves.
He said the relevant authorities including the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Army were already informed of the incident and on red alert.
He called for a thorough investigation into the killing with a view to arresting the bloodthirsty gunmen.
Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the incident.
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